1098760. Cite this using datacite

Title:

George Green Quarry, Wexham, Slough, Buckinghamshire: an archaeological excavaation

Series:

Thames Valley Archaeological Services unpublished report series

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Licence Type:

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.5284/1098760

Publication Type:

Report (in Series)

Abstract:

An area of c. 5.1ha was excavated in two stages between 2015 and 2017. The fieldwork revealed a range of settlement deposits of Late Neolithic, Bronze Age, Early Roman, Middle and Late Saxon dates. The Late Neolithic was represented by a single pit radiocarbon dated to 2704-2568 BC (UBA43135) and perhaps a few residual struck flints. The Early Bronze Age, if it was a distinct phase of activity on this site at all, was represented by a few poorly dated pits forming a very loose cluster. The Middle Bronze Age was better represented, but again in the form of a small cluster of postholes and pits, the latter sometimes with in-situ pots, but with no evidence of enclosure, field systems nor land division. A single radiocarbon date of 1125-929 BC (UBA44089) spanned the Middle to Late Bronze Age transition. Later Bronze Age deposits were more numerous, with four clusters of pits and postholes perhaps representing individual occupation foci. There was still no evidence for enclosure nor other land division. Another radiocarbon date of 912-797 BC (UBA43136) was obtained for this phase. Although some of the pottery recovered appears to be of Middle Iron Age date, no deposits of this period were recorded and only into the 1st century AD is there evidence of renewed settlement. Surprisingly, the form of this, namely clusters and spreads of pits and postholes, mirrors that of the preceding periods. There were no house sites nor enclosures but a few linear features hint at land division, without recognizable fields being evidenced. It is possible that the deposits here are but part of a much larger site whose focus lies to the north beyond the site boundary. However, the area of deposits is extensive. The Roman activity ceases in the 2nd century AD with very few sherds of later Roman date; a frequent observation in the low-status rural settlement record of the region. The final activity on the site is dominated by a dispersed group of deposits of Saxon date. A Middle Saxon phase is represented by a small cluster of pits surrounding a well which produced radiocarbon dates of AD 642-689 and 682-744 (UBA44090-1). Four hundred metres to the north, a second cluster of features including a post-built structure is tentatively assigned to a Late Saxon phase, supported by a radiocarbon date of AD 946?1027 (UBA41031). This form of settlement is little recorded for later Saxon times but there is now a small corpus of similar sites for comparison. A few sherds of Medieval pottery, ridge and furrow and post-medieval boundaries complete the record.

Author:

D Platt
Steve Ford
W Attard

Publisher:

Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd

Year of Publication:

2020

Locations:

Country:	England
Parish:	Wexham
District:	Buckinghamshire
County:	Buckinghamshire

Grid Reference: 499848, 180949 (Easting, Northing)

Subjects / Periods:

EXCAVATION (Event)

LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Object England)

MESOLITHIC LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Tag)